Question

Using a practical example, what are the benefits and potential problems associated with conflict? What are examples of strategies that can be applied for resolving conflict?

Answer 1

Conflicts are generally disagreements which gives negative impact but sometimes conflicts are good. Conflicts may exists at personal levels or at functional or departmental levels. Conflicts affect employee emotions. Employees with greater morale remain productive and stay with the organization but in case employees with lesser motivation offered, they start feeling that they are not treated well enough. Employee turnover becomes and they become less productive at workplace. Sometimes, conflicts among two departments give rise to new business need or opportunities for new ideas to get the business get going. Through conflict, the business weaknesses are exposed. For example, in any organization does not offer a vendor 30-days payment terms but look for sales department should do that by offering lesser discounted sales price, by keeping the lesser interest rates in the sales. Another benefit from conflict is to understand the employee reaction on certain issues and this helps in finding ‘personality traits’. It helps in employee promotion. Conflicts makes organization to understand more on the legal aspects and setting up clear policies. For example, how to deal with workplace harassment.

Some of the strategies which can be followed, such as, ‘accommodating’ helps another party’s demand to be fulfilled o maintain the peace. For example, to introduce dress code policy in every Monday’s for executive employees but in case other employees are not interested to follow then they should have justification on the same. ‘Avoiding’ which keeps the conflict off. This is sometime giving some more time to the existing issue which can resolve by itself. For example, Sometimes it helps in dismissing a low performing employee. And hiring the replacement for the same fixes the issue. ‘Collaborating’ helps in integrating ideas from others. For example, business unit head would like to introduce new policy on weekend production support then he invites his manager to offer new ideas and give inputs for decision making. ‘Compromising’ strategy offers both the sides of the party to agree on the solution or should accept what is being asked. For example, compromise by business owner on contract negotiation. ‘Competing’ gives win to one party and loss to other party. This suits well in the emergency situations. For example, to remain competitive in the market, companies lay-off employees.